The coming months are a pivotal period for us at LCRIG. Next week, we’re proud to be presenting our most comprehensive analysis of innovation in the highways sector to the Department for Transport (DfT). Shortly after, we’ll be sharing this landmark report with our members.
Titled “Innovation in Focus, Inspiring Change Across the Highways Sector”, the report represents one of our most ambitious projects to date. We engaged deeply with both our corporate and local authority members, surveying them to uncover the sector’s emerging challenges and the innovations they are eager to see developed, particularly those where suppliers can step up and deliver meaningful change.
But this hasn’t been just a data-gathering exercise. We’ve rigorously tested our findings with the LCRIG Advisory Board, Innovation Board, and our regional groups. We’ve held in-depth conversations with respected industry figures and refined our direction through two member drop-ins attended by over 200 participants from local authority and corporate partners. These sessions have been instrumental in helping us define where LCRIG should focus future resources to best support sector-wide innovation.
This report is more than a publication – it marks a turning point for us as an organisation. It’s influencing how we evolve, how we allocate resources, and how we better serve our growing membership, now approaching 400 organisations, as well as the wider highways community.
Keep your eyes open for the release of the Innovation in Focus report next week.
Building on the insights gathered through the report and direct local authority feedback, we’re also excited to be launching a series of mini guides on artificial intelligence. The first in the series, a foundational guide to AI will be followed by focused publications on its role in road condition monitoring, severe weather management, road safety, and more. If you’re a corporate member interested in collaborating with us on this series, please reach out to Susanne or Keely in our relationship management team.
Finally, as Parliament heads into recess, we’ve seen a flurry of announcements. The Secretary of State submitted the annual report to Parliament on National Highways’ performance for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. Of the 12 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set under RIS2, National Highways met 7 and missed 4. A statement relating to final data for the safety KPI won’t be available until autumn 2026, but the House was told trends suggest the organisation is off track to meet that target. One achievement, I noticed, is pavement condition. National Highways exceeded its target in 2024/25, with 96.5% of the network reported to be in good condition. A result many local authorities might understandably envy.
Another Government release that caught my attention was the introduction of Government “innovation squads” as part of a £100 million Test, Learn and Grow programme. These squads are designed to support frontline services and community-driven ideas, starting with family hubs. It’s made me think: what would innovation squads look like in our sector? And where might they add the most value?
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO